Welcome home, beastie
by howfuckingquaint
Summary: Four years has passed since her crowning. Aurora's 20th birthday is upon her and she finally decides to go back to where it all begun, The Moors. Times will change, friends will become enemies as a young woman desperately tries to do the right thing for the ones she care about. A rather angsty love story, so grab your box of tissues and a chocolate bar!
1. Chapter one - Flying high

**Well, cho cho! This is the author speaking, let's call me Emma (bc that's my name). This is me taking on the whole Malora phenomenon, and I am quite pleased with the outcome so far. I would like to inform you that I have absolutely no idea how long this particular story will be (I have the whole plot worked out so fear not), but there will be more than one chapter (that I can pinky promise). I have rated it 'M' mainly because I do enjoy making my characters drown in angst (and I'm also 100% sure there will be love scenes, I know myself and therefor it will be graphic).**

**I am so happy that you have decided to take this journey with me! **

**XX**

**CHAPTER ONE**

FLYING HIGH

Another summer reached the Queen's kingdom. The morning sun shined bright and caressed the golden fields that covered the ground all the way to the Faerie kingdom. _The Moors. _Aurora stood glancing over her realm as the light reflected her light blonde curls, giving her an angelic glow. It had been many years since she crossed the border to the Faerieland, there were no particular reason why. The Moors had been without a ruler until she had become Queen, and she felt as though it wasn't her place to rule over the kingdom and interfere its beautiful independence. But, as her 20th birthday was almost upon her she felt it was about time she paid her old friends a visit. She hadn't seen any of them in such a long time. Two years had quickly passed with but a few letters between her and the protector, Maleficent.

She saw her sometimes. Floating in the sky far away, her wings wide and majestic. Her heartbeat increased by the thought. Being face to face with the Faerie again was the thing that frightened her the most. She had complete and utter respect for the winged woman, and something more she couldn't quite put her finger on. In her young years she had been nothing but fearless. Always smiling. Always happy, finding beauty in everything she came across. The older she got the more she understood there were so much ugliness in the world. Especially the world her father had left behind.

A knock door startled her. She ran behind her dressing screen.

"I am not dressed!" She called to the unknown knocker, "who is it?"

The door opened slightly, "it's just me." A familiar voice answered.

"Oh, Phillip! Do wait outside for a moment, I have to put on a gown."

Phillip, who had grown to be one of her closest friends and advisors obeyed and stepped outside to wait for his queen.

Usually, the handmaiden insisted on helping her. She had been able to put her own garments on since she was a little girl. Why should it be any different just because of her title? Once she had changed from nightgown to something more fitting for wandering the castle in broad daylight she opened the door to find the Prince lighting up as a sun when he saw her rosy cheeks. He bowed before her.

"Phillip, how many times do I have to tell you not to bow when we are alone."

He gave her a teasing grin.

"Apologies, my Queen." He bowed a second time, "it will not happen again, you have my word."

She sighed and gave him one of her sweetest smiles. He walked with her down to the great hall where the servants were working like horses preparing for the royal ball that would be held in her honour.

"Everything is soon in order for tonight, all the guest are invited and..."

"Is that so, Phillip?"

He went on, not even noticing the disinterest dripping from her words.

"Oh yes, my Queen..."

"Phillip! Stop with the formalities, I am your friend and we are equals. Please, call me Aurora."  
>He looked a bit offended but knew that she meant no harm, even though her tone had come out rather harsh.<p>

"Of course. Yes, Aurora, citizens from everywhere are invited. From the great Red Beards in the north, to the Sand Folk in the south."

"I see." She paused and looked at her friend, "and the Moors? Have they received word about this _grand feast_?" The disbelief in her voice echoed around the hall. Phillip shook his head no, he looked ashamed.

"Aurora, you know how uneasy they make..."

"Who, you? They are just as welcome here as the Red Beards and the Sand Folk." Her blue eyes bore themselves into the prince's, he lowered his gaze in shame. "If I can't show the people that we are reunited I am no better at ruling than my father!"

"You are nothing like your father, Aurora." He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I know." She sighed, "please forgive me for snapping at you. I have a lot on my mind, that's all."

"Yes well, you are not getting any younger."

The boy chuckled as they continued their stroll through the long corridors.

* * *

><p>The ball bored her before it had even begun. She'd had to greet people coming from far and wide, and it drove her mad. She though about the Moors and how quiet it must be as the hour had run rather late. <em>They wouldn't notice if she were to disappear, would they?<em> Played a thought in her mind. She knew she was not supposed to. But she was Aurora, and Aurora often did as she pleased (as long as it didn't hurt anyone).

Her horse stood in the stables kicking the straws on the ground in restlessness. The evening sun made him glow with his white coat and mane. She stroked the beautiful animal's back and jumped up, legs on either side of his belly. She clicked her tongue and kicked him gently to indicate forward movement. His did as he was bid and they quickly gained enough speed for the palace to grow smaller as the Land of the Faeries came closer, and closer.

Her pulse was beating against her flesh and for a moment she thought she was about to explode. She couldn't hide her excitement. Partly for running away from her own feast, but mostly for meeting her beloved friends again. _And Maleficent. _

She secured the stallion by a tree right before the entrance of the great land. Her hands were shaking slightly as she pushed a few branches from her face whilst moving further into the forest. She found a path, that she had been wandering many times before. There had yet to be any sign of life, but Aurora knew they were watching. Aurora knew _she_ was watching. It was like a cat and mouse game. She felt the hairs on her neck and right down her back of her nape rise. The sun made a final attempt to penetrate the thick trees surrounding the domain, but gave up shortly after she made it into the very heart. Leaving her with the beautiful true colours of the Moors. The light was blue, with pink, purple and yellow little fireflies making everything seem like a dream. There were shades and colours not even the finest of garments possesed. The water reflected the surroundings and shimmered majestically. Aurora took a deep breath, closed her eyes and let the ambience embrace her.

"I have been wondering when you would come back here, beastie." A low voice behind her said, making her jump in surprise.

She turned around and had to gasp for air, because what she saw before her was too overwhelming, even for a queen. Maleficent stood proud, her piercing eyes looked right through the human. The horns on her head gave her quite the threatening appearance, her wings fell down her back and caressed the soft grass she stood upon. The beauty of the faerie before her could not be compared with anything she had even seen before.

"Maleficent I-," she swallowed her sentence when the tall woman bowed before her.

"Welcome home, my Queen." A warm smile appeared on the faerie's face and Aurora was quick to respond with one of her own. Maleficent didn't even hesitate to step closer to the girl. Aurora blushed when a slender hand caressed her cheek. She leaned into the touch and put her own hand over Maleficent's.

"You have grown," the hand left her face and left Aurora with just a memory of warm flesh against hers, "you are not the child who left the Moors all those years ago."

Aurora smiled softly, "I have a kingdom to rule. Even if I wish for nothing more than to be a child sometimes, I cannot." The smile on her face suddenly disappeared. "Maleficent, I can't tell you how much it saddens me that I have not been able to see you, any of you really, all these years."

The woman stood quiet for a moment, which made Aurora feel very uneasy. She knew how her father had hurt Maleficent all those years ago. How he had promised so much and betrayed her without even blinking. It drove her mad with anger every time she thought of it. She sighed and shook her head.

"My lovely little beastie," a soft finger crept under her chin and gently pushed her face upward to meet the marbled eyes, "you are not your father."

It was as if she had read her mind. Tears filled the girl's eyes and she let out a staggering breath. Before she knew what she was doing she pushed herself forward and embraced Maleficent tightly around the waist. Comforting hands stroked her golden curls. She listened to the calm heartbeat of the older woman. Eventually, her own heart matched that pace and her violent sobbing became softer.

"Now, this is not a time for tears." She stroked wet drops gone from the girl's cheeks, "this is a day of celebration." She took Aurora's hand and led her towards the water. They stood there for a moment, Aurora glanced over the mesmerizing lake.

"It's so beautiful." She whispered, voice still a bit unsteady after her sudden outburst. Looking over at the protector she smiled when Maleficent seemed just as elated as herself. Inside of her an emotional battle had begun. She had felt it a few moments with Phillip, but what rushed through her this time was a thousand times more powerful.

The older woman turned to face her, a smile playing on her face. She took Aurora's hands and wrapped them around her neck. Aurora felt the soft hair under her palms, a firm hand on the small of her back pulled her closer.

"Hold on to me," she said and locked eyes with the confused twenty year old, "and do not let go."

With that she spread her wings wide and it took Aurora about a millisecond to tighten her arms around Maleficent. Within seconds she saw how the ground beneath them diminished and soon they disappeared into the clouds. She gasped for air, high on excitement. The sun had a few minutes left before it disappeared completely and the sky was fiery with the colours of pink and red. As if gravity didn't exist, Maleficent held her tightly and flew smoothly through the damp mist. Aurora closed her eyes and buried her face in dark hair, her lips resting dangerously near the milky neck of the faerie. She could stay like that forever. Too soon they were back on firm ground again, the grass was soft under Aurora's feet and she very quickly realised that she must have lost her shoes. She laughed as the straws tickled between her toes. A warm hand closed around one of her own and she looked up and met piercing golden green orbs.

"Will you be back tomorrow, my Queen?"

Aurora smiled at the last bit. As much as she hated when the people closest to her called her _that_, Maleficent didn't do it to butter up in order to eventually get into a higher position. She was above her in rank, and always would be. And that made Aurora feel safe, like she was not alone. The faerie had lived long. She had seen war, death and loved more than Aurora could possibly imagine. The girl kept in mind that years from now, when she herself had grown old and wrinkled, Maleficent would look like she had not aged a day from where they were now.

"I will, I promise!" She left the faerie and started to walk towards the forest, she felt protected with the faerie watching over her. "And Maleficent!"

The older woman raised her eyebrows, ready to listen to whatever the little queen had to say.

"Thank you, for letting me come here again. I want to be a part of it, really."

Maleficent's eyes glowed in the magical light.

"You are always welcome home, beastie."


	2. Chapter two - The escape

**Helloooo! I can't begin to tell you how excited I am about seeing that people are actually reading AND enjoying it after just one chapter! Here's a bonus! But don't get spoiled, little ones. Hopefully, I'll be able to update at least twice a week. And I will make the chapters longer, that I can promise you! **

**Note: In the movie, Flittle, gives Aurora the gift of 'never being blue' (and I suppose she means sad and not actually blue). This is something that I has not applied to my story. As you may have noticed (or will notice), It's very easy for Aurora to shed tears, which I think is a beautiful thing. In my opinion, you can't really feel happiness unless you've been a little bit blue. It's a natural thing. So, yeah.**

**Anyhooo! Thank you peeps who has already fav and followed this story (and reviewing)!  
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**You make this all worth doing!****  
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**Ps. If you find an error or something you would like to comment on, don't be afraid to tell me!**

**Love,**

**Emma**

**Xx**

****(Update 19/9: I've been correcting a few errors in both chapters. Thank you 'Cooksiez' for your comment on that, really appreciate it! I have thought about it and I have come to the conclusion that I want a BETA for this story. So if your mother tongue is english or if you're simply just mindblowingly good at it, PM me here or at my Tumblr page .com****

And another thing, I had planned to write all day/night yesterday and update before the weekend. But then our greatest enemy, my boss, called and wanted me to take another night shift. BUT DO NOT FRET, on sunday I will give you candy (or carrots, if that's what you prefer...oh look, I made a parenthesis inside a parenthesis. META). Until then, you guys have a lovely weekend!)

CHAPTER TWO

**THE ESCAPE**

Aurora woke up when the sun suddenly hit her eyes. She rubbed them for a moment and let them adjust to the bright light. The feast had been thriving when she came back to the castle. She had sneaked passed the woozy guest. The guards had bowed slightly when she slipped through the corridors, but other than that she had managed to get to her chamber undetected.

A harsh knock made her heart skip a beat and without having the slightest chance to respond the door swung open and a furious young man rushed in. _Phillip_.

"Well, please come in. Have a seat, maybe you can find me a dress to wear while you're about." The sarcasm in her voice did not go unnoticed.

A confused handmaiden came rushing in after him. "I am terribly sorry, your grace. I tried to stop him but he would not listen at all..." Aurora raised a hand to make the poor woman stop beating herself up.

"It is quite alright, Imelda," she looked over at the enraged man standing in front of her bed, "Phillip has a way of not entirely understanding boundaries when he has something to say, you can go. And please shut the door behind you." Her gaze was still on Phillip as the old handmaiden went through the heavy door and closed it.

"What is on your mind, my friend?"

Her passive aggressiveness seemed to enrage Phillip even more. Aurora knew exactly what he was going to say next.

"I had planned this for months," he begun, "months, Aurora!" He walked on and off frantically. "You just ran off, all the guests wondered where you were." He stopped in front of her bed and grabbed the thick wood until his knuckles had turned white. "I had to tell over five hundred Lords and Ladies that you were feeling unwell and went back to you chamber."

"That must have been very difficult for you, Phillip, being in the centre of attention."

His eyes turned black, but she understood that deep down he knew she was right.

_He continued_. "You wanted this and...-"

"No, Phillip," she interrupted his scolding, "_you _wanted this, I never did. _You_ planned this for months beforehand, not me."

This time, his expression turned completely blank. Then he started to look like a child who had just lost his favourite play toy. She stood up, her nightgown swaying around her ankles as she walked around to where he stood. She took his hand and looked him deep in the eye.

"I am truly sorry, Phillip."

"Yes," he sighed and looked at their entwined fingers, "and I am a fool."

His self pitying was one of his feeble qualities. She did feel a bit ashamed, but knowing that she had told him that there was nothing more unappealing to her than a grand feast where people she had never met before acted as if they had known her all their lives made it all just as much his fault.

"I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me," she kissed his forehead, "some day."

He started to smile a little when his eyes met hers. She took a step back, still holding his hand. Then she realised where she had been the other night and a giant bubble of emotions exploded inside of her.

"I went to the Moors last night!" She bursted out happily.

"You what?"

"I went to the Moors and it was so beautiful! And I flew, Phillip, I flew so high up in the sky you would not even believe it!"

The young man didn't seem to share her excitement. "Did you meet anyone?" He said bluntly.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean did you meet _her_, the witch?" The rage came back like and unwelcomed guest and the veins on his neck popped out with the sudden rush of blood.

"I can't say I know who are talking about, my dear Phillip." Her voice turned cold, she should have known how he would react.

"Maleficent, did you leave the castle to call on Maleficent? The monster who cursed you, or maybe that part slipped your mind when you looked into her glowing eyes. She might even have cast another spell on you for all I know!" He was furious again, Aurora let go of his hand.

She took a few steps back, mouth agape. What she heard coming from her friend's mouth she could not believe, a fury inside started to infect her tranquil mind .

"Don't you understand, we do not belong in their world!" He grabbed her wrist, quite hard. Hot tears filled her eyes, not because it hurt, but because someone she considered her friend could say something so utterly infelicitous.

"I think it is time for you to go now." Aurora's voice was shaking as she stood on the steep edge of an emotional collapse.

Without hesitation he stormed out, Aurora went after him and closed the door shut. She sat down on the floor. Panicked, and somewhat heartbroken, she started to sob as she pulled her knees tightly in against her body. She had to get out of there, away from cold stone walls.

* * *

><p>Aurora sat down on a rock outside the cottage where she had spent the first sixteen years of her life. Thinking about it made her a bit sad, she had known so little about the world then, and she had been happier than ever. She thought about how she used to play with Diaval out in the garden, how she used to climb trees pretending they were mountains. And how there was always a shadow watching over her, Maleficent's shadow.<p>

She turned her head, knowing who was lurking in the trees.

"You can come out," she said softly, "I know it's you, Maleficent."

Hearing a few twigs snap and approaching footsteps in the sun dried grass she turned her body enough to confirm her hunch. The tall faerie had a serious look on her face, she probably knew something was wrong without even asking. She stood beside her, a gentle finger brushed away a tear from the girl's face.

"Did he hurt you?" She asked. It seemed her eyes had begun to glow a bit more intensely.

"No," Aurora half lied, afraid of what the faerie might do if she told her the truth, "he just said some awful things, about you."

Maleficent sighed and looked away. Probably feeling remorseful, knowing that there must have been some truth in whatever the boy had said. Aurora slid down from the rock and looked the protector deep in the eye.

"He said you were a monster, and so many other dreadful things."

"He cares for you," Maleficent's voice was muted.

"No, he cares for himself!" Aurora objected. "If he had cared he would have been happy for me. I have not felt this kind of joy in over four years, and it is all because of..." She suddenly interrupted herself. Seeing something she had not quite noticed before. Walking over to the open window right by the front door of the cottage, she looked inside. It was as if she and the three pixies had never left. The little house was clean, fully furnished and blooming. Like someone still lived there.

"But how..?" She managed to say.

"Because I kept it that way."

Maleficent stood close to her back. She had let a hand rest on Aurora's shoulder and stroked softly down her arm. At that point, a familiar feeling filled Aurora and she laughed as tears of joy replaced the bad ones on her cheeks.

"How did you know I would come back?" Turning herself she only then realised how close the faerie had actually been. She could feel Maleficent's warm breath on her face, it almost tempted her to do something she shouldn't.

"I didn't." Her answer was simple, and it became obvious to Aurora how much the older woman cared for her. Maleficent had been holding on to the only thing she had to remember her by. her heart fluttered. A laugh tickled her stomach, desperate to escape her lips. She let it out, thinking how remarkable it was that the faerie could make her go from devastated to euphoric in a heartbeat.

"Can we go back now," she girl whispered, "to the Moors?"

Red lips curled into a delightful smile. "We can go wherever you want, sweet Aurora."

* * *

><p>They wandered in silence. Aurora's head was overflown with thoughts. She thought about how the little cottage in the woods would be her sanctuary. How she would go there whenever the cold castle got to her. She glanced over at the woman beside her. Aurora's heart started to beat faster when she the thought about how after all these years, even though they had not spoken much, the faerie was the only one she could wholeheartedly trust. Regardless of what she had done in the past.<p>

They arrived when the afternoon sun had the water glistening enchantingly. Aurora felt blissful once again. She filled her lungs with fresh air, it felt pure running through her.

"Can I stay here, with you?" She heard herself say, "for a little while at least."

Maleficent looked at her in surprise, "you are the queen of this land, you can stay for as long as you want."

The answer was not quite what Aurora had expected. She had hoped for the faerie to want her to stay. Suddenly, she felt as if she was intruding, using her power to do whatever she pleased. Maybe Phillip was right, humans did not belong there.

Maleficent must have felt her discomfort, she came closer and brushed the young woman's cheek with a slim finger.

"And I would not wish for you to be anywhere else." She placed a soft kiss on her forehead, Aurora leaned into the soothing gesture. She felt her body react positively to the sudden proximity. She opened her eyes and broke the contact, her feelings already scared her. Especially since the chance of the faerie feeling the same was as impossible as changing Phillips mind about the Moors.

"Is Diaval around?" She asked, trying to think about something else than the tingle left on her forehead where Maleficent's lips had been a few moments earlier. She looked down and cursed herself for feeling a blush burn in her face. The woman's gold marbled eyes did not leave the girl, making her face fire up even more. Aurora looked up, Maleficent was reading her expression carefully before letting her eyes slowly drift away and look to the sky.

"He certainly is," she answered as her lips twisted into a wicked smile, "somewhere."

Her eyes fell upon Aurora again. And for a moment the girl thought it seemed like the faerie was enjoying her nervousness.

"He is no longer serving me," she continued, "I set him free."

"You make it sound as if he was your slave." She said quietly.

"He provided me with anything I needed, at the time."

A jolt of jealousy struck Aurora so hard she almost became dizzy. Maleficent had probably had many lovers through the years, that she could understand. But she did not want to think of it, not at all. She tried to smile but could no longer look at the faerie. Clearing her throat and pushing her thoughts aside she felt confident enough to say something about the matter.

"He must hold you very dear," she tried to be subtle, every word she said hurt like a million needles on her tongue.

Maleficent chuckled low, which made her sound evil and alluring all at the same time. "He hates me. The things he had to put up with. I turned him into pests and insects."

The weight on Aurora's heart became a bit lighter as she laughed softly.

* * *

><p>The sun was getting tired and the air got cooler with every minute. Maleficent had flown off on a watch before nightfall. Aurora sat by the lake, letting her feet sink into the cool water that was surprisingly warmer than the atmosphere. She sighed heavily. Fighting with Phillip was something she did not want to do, but somehow that made it easier for her to stay in the Moors. However, as Maleficent had said, she did not need excuses to do what she wanted. She saw the faerie wing her way between the mountain tops. There were really nowhere else she would like to be in that moment. She felt safe. Her blood tickled inside her veins, she hated her recently developed affection. But come to think of it, it was probably something that had been planted long before she even decided to return to the faerieland.<p>

Maleficent changed her course and flew towards where Aurora sat. The girl smiled up to the sky as the faerie proceeded to land in the lake before her with a splash. The water reached a little above her ankles and her wings dipped down below the surface. Before Aurora could object a strong hand grabbed her by the arm and pulled her off the rock. The high pitched scream of shock that came from the girl quickly turned into laughter as she splashed water on her playful rival. As they both became completely drenched all options but to continue had been excluded. Without a single warning, the faerie took hold of Aurora's arms and pulled her close. Their wet bodies clinging to one another.

Aurora looked up and met the intense eyes of the faerie, she let her gaze wander lower. Looking at the red lips that tempted her so dangerously. Before she could set mind to cause, Maleficent took a step back.

"Oh dear. Look at us, we are completely soaked." Her wings rose from the water and shook them so violently one could almost mistake the falling water drops for heavy rain. With a powerful swing they took her a couple of meters above the lake. She reached out for the girl who smiled and took her arm in a firm grip. A few moments later they were both on dry land. Aurora quickly noticed how cold it had become with her wet gown. She looked over at Maleficent, who appeared to be completely dry.

"Come here," the girl did as she was bid, goosebumps pricking every inch of her body, "wouldn't want you to get unwell because of me, now would we?" Green smoke came from the faeries fingers as they traveled down Aurora's figure. She sighed when the warmth replaced the cold and caressed every inch of her body.

"There," Maleficent seemed rather pleased with her handiwork. "Now, you will need something else to sleep in."

Aurora looked down at her dress and could not agree more. Sleeping in rough linen garment never was a good idea, no matter how tired one were. They went to the grand tree were Maleficent usually slept, she picked up a freshly fallen leaf from the ground and within seconds it had transformed to the most beautiful emerald nightgown Aurora had ever seen. She touched the fabric and almost gasped at how soft it was, not even the most skilled tailor could do something even remotely similar to what she felt under her palms.

"This is beautiful." Was all she managed to voice.

"It's yours."

Aurora smiled widely. She looked around for a place to undress.

"I will cover you, beastie."

Aurora felt a bit silly, what she had to do was probably the most natural thing for the faerie. But it made her a little uncomfortable since she was not used to it. She positioned herself by the tree. Maleficent quickly followed and stood behind her. She turned her back towards Aurora to give her some privacy. Trembling hands begun to undo the laces on the front of her dress. Aurora pulled the fabric apart enough to as easily as possible slid out of the dress. The cool air embraced her like an enemy and she felt her whole body get stiff in defence. Quickly, Aurora put the nightgown on and it fell smoothly down her lean legs. She let her long, heavy hair fall down her back. Never had she worn something so light and yet so warm. Her body adjusted quickly and she relaxed into the soft fabric.

Maleficent turned to look at the little queen. What Aurora saw in her eyes, she could not quite puzzle out. But she herself felt as if she was surrounded by puffy clouds whilst taking a nice, hot bath. Aurora thought the faerie was about to say something but instead she leaped to a thick branch of the majestic tree. Her wings kept her balanced as she leaned forward and offered Aurora her hand. They climbed together until they reached the bed on top. Thick leafs bigger than Aurora herself lay on top of each other to create a soft layer, which to Aurora's surprise felt thick enough to make anyone sleep comfortably. She lay her body down and glanced out over the Moors. The fireflies danced slowly in the thin mist over the lake. She heard Maleficent move behind her. In the corner of her eye she saw how the older woman gracefully laid down behind her. No words were exchanged for a few moments. Aurora heard the leaves rustle behind her and shortly after, a warm body pressed against her own. A thick feathered wing moved over her and covered her figure as a strong arm crept around her middle. Her heart had started to bang against her chest so hard there was no way in a thousand years the faerie did not notice.

"You need to stay warm." She whispered into the back of her neck. Aurora felt soft lips move against her flesh which sent a pleasant shiver down her spine. She tried to breath as an ordinary human being, but her body did not listen to her anymore. A few more moments passed.

"Maleficent?" She said with a slightly trembling voice.

"Yes?"

"Do you remember when I came running to you after the pixies had told me about the curse?"

Maleficent sighed. "I do." She said, her voice sorrowful. "And I will always remember. In this life, and the next."

Aurora gathered strength because what she was about to say next was something the faerie did not know, or at least she had never told her.

"You broke my heart that day."

Silence fell. Aurora expected the warm arm wrapped around her to withdraw. But instead Maleficent pulled the girl closer to herself.

"Mine too."

Aurora blinked away the tears that started to fill her eyes.

"And then, you saved my life." her voice cracked a little bit as a sob hit her like a punch in the chest.

"And then you saved mine." Maleficent's voice was low and genuine.

Aurora searched for the hand that rested so comfortably on her abdomen and took it in her own. Her thumb stroked a long nail, up to the knuckle and back. She felt Maleficent smile against her nape.

"Goodnight, my little beastie."


	3. Chapter three - The awakening

**THE WAIT IS OVER! I know, I know. It took me (more than) two weeks to finally update (I will accept all rants and cyber face slaps you could possibly manage to throw my way, I deserve it). It's not that I'm a lazy person, it's actually quite the opposite. I've had one day off in two weeks (and I took the opportunity to sleep, because if I hadn't done that I would probably be dead by now...SO YOU SHOULD BE GLAD I DID!)**

**Yesterday I managed to end this chapter (that didn't turn out to be as long as I had hoped for (god I use parentheses a lot)). I was quite tired when I read this chapter through, so I really hope I corrected all the mistakes and blah-blah-this-is-a-very-unessasery-sentence-stuff. (Do you people even read my 'author's note'?)**

**Anyhowie, I have brought in another character in this mess, and this particular character we will all hate. ****I already do****. BUT. I would also like to point out that I don't want Phillip to be the bad guy in this. Generally he is just a coward...and quite stupid...and well, you don't have to like him either. When I told my roomie about this chapter he pointed out that all of the male characters so far are not so very pleasant and that it sounds like I'm a man hater. THIS IS NOT TRUE!(!) I am not some chauvinistic lesbian thunder ass, this is simply how I have decided to portray these characters and just most of them happened to turn out to be men (to be fair, I have only introduced two women so far and that's Maleficent and Aurora).**

**Other than that, have fun reading and as always - GIVE FEEDBACK! If you find something you think is wrong, weird or just really good. TELL ME! And I am still looking for someone who can read through the chapters before I publish them. Would be nice to have a second pair of eyes looking through everything before I await my final verdict (please don't make me ask my mother!).**

* * *

><p>CHAPTER THREE<p>

**THE AWAKENING**

The next day Aurora woke up alone. The warm body behind her was gone and the heavy wing that had protected her all night was replaced by a giant leaf. She rolled onto her back and let the morning sun caress her face. A smile spread across her face as a sudden feeling of wellbeing washed over her. She sat up and saw her ordinary dress laying neatly folded on the other end of the bed like tree, only there was another garment on top of it. She crawled over the leaves she had slept on to get a closer look. The fabric looked as soft as the one of her nightgown. It had a bit more everyday-wear kind of appearance, but the same stunning emerald green colouring. She took it and slid down from the tree. Her barefoot feet landed upon the dew covered morning grass. She took a deep breath as an overwhelming feeling of euphoria exploded inside her. Half running, half skipping down to the lake she looked down at her reflection in the water. Her bright blue eyes glistened in the lake. The sound of small wings flapping made her turn around. A broad smile appeared on her face when she realised who it was.

"I wondered when I was going to see you again, Diaval." She reached out her arm and let the beautiful raven land on it. His black eyes looked at her with curiosity as he croaked softly. Aurora stroked his shiny coat. He stomped a little bit, indicating his departure.

"Until next time, my friend." She whispered before he spread his wings and took off.

Aurora continued to walk by the lake. The water faeries played on the surface, in fact, the entire Moors had started to wake up. Her toes dipped into the water, it was cool against her skin. The sun was broiling and she begun to think of how wonderful it would feel with her whole body surrounded by the brisk water. Still holding on to her new gown she decided a nice swim in the lake would be a perfect way to start her day. Nevertheless, she had to occupy herself with something whilst waiting for Maleficent to come back from whatever faerie duty she was sorting out.

Walking for a few minutes more she found a pristine cave like rock that was located discreetly right by the edge of the lake. On top of it there seemed to be a small spring of some kind because water run down before the opening. The utopian sight was to die for. She let her hand reach before her until it went through the running water, the stream was smooth on her hand. Having one last look to ensure she was completely alone, she then slid out of her dress and left it on dry land far from the rippling water.

Carefully she walked down the stone covered bottom of the lake, letting her body adjust to the sudden change of temperature. A high pitched gasp escaped her throat when she placed herself under the (unexpectedly cold) chute. Shortly after, her body relaxed and she started to enjoy the streaming water running down her uncovered body.

"Aurora?"

Quickly, she disappeared inside the little cave, covering herself behind the watery drapes. She blushed harder than she'd ever done in her entire life. Hopefully, the faerie had yet to see her in her naked glory, but she doubted she'd gotten herself covered quickly enough.

"Maleficent?" She tried to sound as casual as possible. "Whatever is the matter, I thought you would be away for a while."

It was quiet outside for a moment. Aurora wondered if the older woman might have not seen her after all and walked passed her new found paradise.

"Something came up," Aurora could detect the faeries figure outside the transparent waterfall. "which is why I need you to come with me."

Aurora tried to shake the feeling of discomfort, clearly regretting her decision of a naked dip in the lake in broad daylight. It was not like she wasn't content with her body, she just had never let anyone see her so very exposed. Ever. Not even her handmaidens.

"Very well," she cleared her throat, trying to wipe away the awkwardness of the situation. "I'll be out in a minute!"

Seeing how the silhouette shifted she understood that Maleficent must have turned around. She stepped out of her hiding place and waded up on dry land. On the ground by the end of the faerie's wings lay her gown, shining in the bright sunlight. She picked it up, standing close to Maleficent, feeling warmth radiating from her body. Suddenly, something inside her changed. She touched the faerie's shoulder, making her turn around slowly. Their eyes met, blue as intense as green. Maleficent's eyes wandered lower, they started to shine in an aureated way. Not a word was exchanged. Instead, Aurora stepped closer. Arms slowly crept around Maleficent's waist as her head laid to rest on her chest right by her collarbone. A warm hand stroked Aurora's damp hair, down her skin and stopped on her sway-back. Maleficent had once again used magic, not only had she become dry but the dress in her hand were now on her body. She broke the embrace and they locked eyes once again. Maleficent smiled softly, her eyes still glowing a bit, but soon her expression turned serious. She looked away from Aurora.

"We have to go."

"What on earth is the matter?" Aurora straightened the dress, she was not used to seeing the ever so collected woman look distressed.

"No time to explain, here." She motioned for the girl to hold on to her neck. "Now hold on very tightly."

Aurora got a bit frightened, and with good reason. The force that the faerie used to get them up in the air was nothing if not violent. She clasped around the slim neck and felt a strong arm hold on to her, making her feel a little bit more safe. They flew for a couple of minutes and then proceeded to land on the very place where Aurora had been crowned queen. There were at least ten forest guards standing in a circle, keeping whatever that was inside it from running. Maleficent walked with confidence towards the guards and whispered something to one of them, who turned slightly to look at Aurora before grunting something in its language. Maleficent motioned for the girl to come closer, as she did she started to see clearer what the guards were surrounding. It was a man, probably in his mid thirties. By the state of his clothes Aurora could figure out that he most likely was a farmer, and definitely a human.

"What is the meaning of this?" Aurora asked, confused by the situation.

"He was found wandering in the forest." Maleficent walked over to the man who had started to look quite distressed, "he claims to have been on his way home after attending the market located in the nearby village."

Aurora's eyes narrowed at the faerie, she knew her too well to understand that she was suspicious. The Moors had strict, ancient rules about trespassing. She shrugged and took a step closer to Maleficent and the man. The guards automatically stepped back.

"So?" She begun, preparing for a verbal battle with the faerie. "Let him go, he clearly lost his way and just want to get home. So let him go." She said again as she looked Maleficent deep in the eye.

"You know I can't do that." Maleficent simply said in a dangerously low voice.

"And why is that, Maleficent?" Aurora felt a small feeling of panic infecting each and every nerve in her body.

Maleficent's eyes glowed with intensity, and for a moment Aurora got an image of how she must have looked that day on Aurora's christening.

"We have certain rules, protocols to follow when it comes to dealing with intruders."

"But he got lost!" Aurora's voice became stronger, "he hasn't done anything that could appear as a threat to you or the Moors. I am your queen, and I tell you to let him go."

Maleficent just stared at the girl, she could easily blast her into oblivion by just snapping her fingers. Aurora didn't know if she should've been worried or not, but she did know that she would stand her ground.

Maleficent's eyes still bore into Aurora's when she decided to speak again. "Balthazar!" She commanded the massive border guard to come and stand beside her with a sway of her slim fingers. "See to it that our guest is well taken care of."

The tree like creature growled something in a language Aurora didn't understand. Maleficent nodded and the guards grabbed the man who started to protest as they dragged him away. Maleficent walked passed Aurora who was in a bit of a shock. She shook her head and went after the faerie.

"You cannot do this," she tried to convince the protector, "he probably has a family who is worried sick by now!" She had to scuttle to keep up with the faerie, who remained quiet. "Did you not see his face, he was frightened out of his mind. What did you think he was doing? Spying on us?"

"Yes." The answer shocked Aurora even more.

"He was a villager, Maleficent. Please." She grabbed Maleficent's wrist to make her stop, "why can't you just trust me?"

The faerie almost violently turned around, making Aurora jump backwards.

"Because the last time I trusted someone, he cut my wings off after sedating me. That is why!"

She continued to walk and left Aurora standing with a blank expression on her face. She was right, she had trusted a human and he had taken something from her. And it was Aurora's own flesh and blood who had done so. She sat down on the grass with a thump, feeling a bit nauseous. Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind. A hunch that was almost too absurd to be true._ Could it be? No, he wouldn't do something like that, would he? _Nevertheless, she had to be sure. The idea was planted inside her head and she had to get rid of it before it clung to her like an ivy to a wall. She started to run towards the exit of the Moors. She had to get to the castle by foot, and it would take her until dusk to get there.

* * *

><p>She had managed to reach the castle right before sundown. Her legs ached and screamed for a rest, but her mind was determined. She heard a faint <em>"The queen is here, open the gates!" <em>and shortly after the heavy gates slowly gave way. She walked up the stairs, into the main hall and what she saw before her made her eyes widen.

"What are _you_ doing here?" She blurted out.

On her throne sat a rather hefty man with a thick beard and a pair of small, brown eyes that almost did not show under bulky eyebrows.

"Aurora!" Came a voice behind her, "how glad I am to see you, been worried sick."

Aurora's eyes did not leave the man sitting across from where she stood.

"Phillip, we'll exchange pleasantries after you tell me why your father is here in _my _castle, sitting on _my _throne?"

The younger man smiled, Aurora could almost smell his unease. King John and her had never gotten along. Whenever he visited (which he always did unannounced), he always tried to interfere with her decisions and how she ruled the kingdom. If that wasn't enough the king (being quite tipsy at the time) dared to suggest her to marry his son so he could take over as ruler of the realm. Saying a woman like herself was not fit to solely reign. Aurora had been so enraged with his proposal she threw him out herself. That was the last time they had met, which made the situation even more unpleasant.

"It pleases me greatly that you are as glad to see me as I am to see you, Aurora dearest." The man said with a smug look on his face. Aurora's clenched her hands into fists, wanting nothing more than to punch the visage that she thought so repelling. Instead she turned to the son. She had come back for one thing and one thing only and could not wait until she could get out of there again.

"Do you know why I'm here, Phillip?"

"I thought you'd decided to come back?" He looked surprised. Clearly not even remembering their last conversation, or what he had done to her.

"A human is kept in the Moors for trespassing. He claims to be a villager, but I have my doubts." She searched Phillip's face for any sign of knowledge on the matter. "Do you know anything about this?"

He remained silent, his eyes shifting from her to his father.

"I was worried about you." He said quietly.

Aurora's mouth opened slightly. She'd had a feeling Phillip had been behind it, though she had hoped with all her heart that she would be proven wrong.

"How-," was all she could say before she heard King John rise from the throne.

"Because I commanded it, with his approval of course. And now it seems like your faerie associate has waged war on humans. The question is," he walked down to stand before her, trying to make her feel uncomfortable when really all she felt was disgust towards the vile king. "Which side are you on, Queen Aurora?"

She turned to face him and was immediately irritated by the smug look on his face.

"Maleficent would never hurt him. The Moors is many centuries older than the human kingdom, they have their rules."

"And we have ours." Phillip stated, obviously taking his fathers side in the debate.

"We are supposed to be united, and that cannot work if you send spies into their land." By the time she had finished, Phillip had shook his head. Aurora hoped that he would come to his senses and not be poisoned further by his father's inhuman politics.

"And you can't just run off from your own kingdom to live like a savage in the woods." John spat, his face turning red. "Your people is concerned, and with good reason."

Aurora ignored the older man and turned her attention to Phillip. "And for the record, _you_ can't just bring your father for a second opinion. You may be a prince, and you a king, but I am the queen of this land and the Moors. And whether you like it or not I am going to spend some time there to connect with-."

"With whom? Maleficent?" Phillip interrupted her.

Aurora got silent. There was no way in a thousand years any of them would listen to her. She sighed and picked her next words carefully.

"I want you gone." She stared at the king, "Phillip, you can stay. But you, King John, are banished until further notice. I don't want you around me or my friends, do you understand?"

The man's veins were popping out, he was furious.

"You are choosing a God forsaken creature over your own kind, this is blasphemy!" He shouted, oozing with anger.

"No," she said calmly, "I am choosing to be a human and having a kind heart towards everything living instead of ignorance and I am choosing friendship instead of politics." She looked at Phillip. "I just wish you could see it the way I do."

The king's eyes was about to pop out of his skull, it seemed. Aurora wanted them to leave her. Both of them.

"You are dismissed, both of you."

A very upset Phillip stormed passed her and out of the hall, leaving her face to face his father who did not seem to be able to think straight. He came closer to her, making her walk backwards until she hit a cold stone wall. His thick fingers enclosed themselves around her neck as he pushed hard enough for her to start gasp for air.

"Now you listen to me, you ignorant little prat. You can't keep me away forever." His face was so close she could feel his breath on her face. "I will come back, and by then you will beg me to take over the throne. Sparing you from the agony of ruling, which you will have failed to do. _Mark my words_."

He let go of her and she fell to the floor, inhaling sharply as all the oxygen in her body had almost perished. With shaking hands she touched her sore neck and tried to calm her breathing, but it was useless. Shock took over and violent crying could not be held back, making it even harder to gain air. She heard approaching footsteps, looking up she did not see much through her tear filled eyes but a warm hand took hold of her arms and pulled her up on shaking legs. When her body was standing up straight and arms wrapped around her to keep her from falling she felt how air filled her starving lungs.

"Aurora, please forgive me." It was Phillip, he had come back for her. "I can't believe my father would do something like that."

He held the trembling Aurora tight, she sobbed into his shoulder.

"I-I couldn't defend myself," she stammered, "I felt so strong until he... I got so scared."

"He is gone now. He's not coming back."

Aurora was not convinced. There was something in that man's words that could not pass as empty threats.

"I should never have left." Phillip said, but Aurora doubted the outcome of the so called conversation would had ended any different even if he hadn't.

"It's alright, Phillip." She lied, in fact she was nothing if not disappointed in him. He was too much of a coward when it came to his father. Aurora knew that. His hands on her left an uncomfortable tingling sensation. She wanted to be alone.

"I have to leave." She said abruptly.

"What?" Phillip's dumbfounded face just made her even more eager to get out of there. "Are you going back to the Moors?"

"I never said I was, and I am not telling you where I'm going." She walked towards the opening with uneven steps. "Is my horse back in the stables?"

She had to support herself against the wall not to fall.

"Aurora you are in shock, you can not go anywhere now!" He called out before she went through the doors. She heard him call her name and tried to walk faster in hopes that he didn't run after her.

* * *

><p>Heavy drops of rain had started to fall from the dark sky and hit her already tear stained cheeks. She found her horse and struggled to get up properly, her body still weak. Time seemed oblivious and she felt like it took seconds before she got to the majestic rocks standing outside of the faerieland. She must have dozed off. Deciding it would be very difficult for her to even try and get through the trees on foot she steered her stallion, who seemed rather confused with her choice of terrain, towards the entrance. When they had finally zigged-zagged the trees enough to move a bit more freely before reaching the more open surroundings all she needed was to find where they kept their captive. Something flew by her and it took a few moments for her eyes to adjust and realising that it was Diaval. He flew through the majestic rocks in the lake and croaked loudly. She clicked her tongue and the horse moved forward, following the charcoal raven through the shallow water. They stopped outside a quite big cave with two guards outside. They grunted when they saw Aurora and bowed slightly. She got off her horse and landed in the water, supporting herself on her ivory friend.<p>

"Let me see him." She said determinedly. The creatures spoke in their language, and since they did not move out of the way she figured out quite quickly that there were complications.

"I do not have time to find a translator so this would be over a lot quicker if you just listened to your queen and let me through, _please_."

They looked at each other and made a few more guttural sounds before stepping away. She went inside, it was cold and damp. Not that it bothered her since she had been riding through a cloudburst, but the prisoner was as human as her and would not survive a climate like that for long without some warmth. She found him curled up at the very end of the cell like cave. She took the torch that was placed on the wall and walked closer to him. He looked up.

"A royal visit," he said, his voice gruff after being quiet for hours. "They do treat me well in the land of magic. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Aurora could easily tell from his accent that he was not from her kingdom. She already knew who had sent him, but she had to be sure.

"Did King John send you to spy on me?" Aurora had thought it was best to get to the point directly. She did not have the energy to be delicate.

He looked up at her, an inhuman grin playing on his face.

"Since I'm under strict orders not to say anything, I have nothing to say."

"I'm giving you an order now." Aurora said firmly, tired of arguing with unreasonable humans. "Tell me who sent you."

"I am not taking orders from a little girl!" He bawled. The man was obviously mad. Or scared, perhaps. Maybe King John had threatened him with something. Torture, killing his family, slavery. Anything was possible, especially since it had become obvious to her what kind of a man King John was.

She sat down on her knees in front of him. "What is your name?"

"Oscar." He said shortly.

"Oscar, if you or your family's well-being has been compromised, I will promise you that no harm will come to yourself or them. You have my word."

He looked at her and then his face dropped. He started to cry into his hands, or so Aurora thought. Looking closer she saw that he appeared to be laughing. A vile laugh that made the hairs on her body rise. He seized his disturbing chuckle abruptly and looked her dead in the eye.

"I. Don't. Answer. To. Little. Girls!" He spat.

"Very well." She said and stood up, "then you are welcome to stay here until you've considered to start doing that."

She'd had enough with people not listening to her. Aurora was tired that the element of her being a woman was to be brought up in every single conversation. Keeping someone imprisoned was something she thought she would never have to do. But then again, nor did Aurora ever think she would have to banish someone. And yet she had accomplished both in one day. It sickened her. Mostly because she had started to abandon all hope of her own species. Oscar knew as well as Aurora that she could not keep him there forever.

She wanted to get back to the cottage, but she also wanted to talk to Maleficent. Telling her she was right all along. Telling her about King John, sharing her concerns of what might come next. _War?_ What the man was capable of remained to be seen, but a bad feeling had started to twirl deep down in Aurora's gut. She needed the faerie's wise words, to let Maleficent hold her close and tell her that _'everything was going to be alright'_.

The rain had subsided. She got back to her horse, there was no point in looking for the faerie. She would know where Aurora had gone, and she would come to her. That was the only thing Aurora could be certain of.


	4. Chapter four - Maleficent

**I am a bad girl. I know that! In my defence, I work a lot! But, I truly hope you will enjoy reading this chapter as much as I have enjoyed writing it! This is probably the only chapter I will give you that is from Maleficent's POV (but you'll never know, right?). To be honest, I was quite curious myself on what was going on in the faerie's mind. This is how it turned out.**

_WARNING!_

**It does get a bit bloody, and gory. So if you're not into that, skip that part (but keep in mind, this is an M rated story!)**

**And as always: Feedback, feedback, feedback! You people are helping me greatly, and I am so thankful for all your support and kind comments! **

CHAPTER FOUR

**MALEFICENT**

Regret stung her like a thorn to the heart. The second the words had passed her lips, all she had wanted to do was to grab them and put them back. It was the truth, but it was not Aurora's fault. S_weet Aurora_. She did not deserve that, and now she was gone. Probably back in her castle, her home, with her people; the humans. Maleficent had gone through her fair share of human company over the years, they intrigued her. Their minds so fragile, their lifespan so transient and their ability to show so much affection, to not showing any at all. But Aurora, she was different. Maleficent sighed heavily whilst walking up a hill to watch the sun set in the west. She stopped abruptly. A black dot in the sky came closer, and closer. Before it had the chance to land at her feet she gathered enough magic and swayed her fingers gracefully. A low croak turned into a surprised "_oh" _as the raven became a man.

"Diaval." Maleficent greeted as she passed the stumbling shifter. "I thought you would have learned how to handle that part of the transformation by now."

He let out a sarcastic "ha ha" between pantings.

"And I thought by now _you _would know how much I hate it when you do that."

He followed her to the very top of the hill. She rested her hands upon the knob of her elegant staff. Her gaze brushed over the landscape from the Moors reaching over to the Queen's castle. She felt Diaval's black eyes looking at her.

"What?" Her voice came out a bit more discontented than she'd wanted it to. She heard him sigh.

"She had to grow up fast, you know." He said. She remained silent, urging to hear what he had to say next. "And you two are not that different."

This time, she looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What makes you say that?"

He met her eyes and matched her expression.

"Don't tell me you have not thought about it, you are both orphans. Lived in a lie for years and-"

"_She_ lived in a lie that _I_ created. Aurora is an orphan because I killed her father."

"You saved her life."

"I cursed her." Her voice became dangerously low. She thought Diaval should know when to stop.

"Yes, but-"

He wasn't able to say more until his words turned into croaks and his human like skin had transformed into feathers.

"She is living this life, with a weight on her shoulder no girl her age should bear. Because of me, and I have nothing to say to justify what I have done."

Diaval, who had been floating in the air right where Maleficent had shifted him, looked at her with his small eyes. He was concerned, she knew that. And frankly, she was too. Humans was not supposed to come into the Moors unnoticed. The man they had caught was not just a simple farmer, he was lying. She could see it in his eyes. Diaval flew off and Maleficent watched her friend disappear. He was right. But then again, so was she. If Maleficent had never met Stefan that day so many years ago he would have killed her that night instead of taking her wings. The Moors would have been taken by the humans and Aurora would have been a princess, married to a prince. Safe and sound, locked inside the castle. Maleficent sighed heavily. Never had she cared for anything as much as she did Aurora. Not even the Moors. She had the biggest heart unlike anyone Maleficent had ever known, human or magical. But even though she knew just how much she cared for the girl, and even accepting it; she could not help the nagging thought that had been planted deep inside her mind. Twenty years had passed since she had cursed a child, condemning it to a fate worse than death. But not only that. _"The princess shall indeed grow in grace and beauty", _she heard her own voice echo inside her head,_"loved by all who meet her". _Somehow that made Maleficent wonder if it was all an illusion, if she had set a trap within her own curse and fallen right into it. The amount of affection she felt towards the human was something she had never felt before. She didn't understand it, and it frustrated her.

Deciding to shake the unpleasant feeling off for the moment she thought it was time to face the intruder. The first man to enter the land of the faeries undetected in over forty years.

* * *

><p>"Stand up," her voice echoed in the small cave. The light from the torch and her staff lit up most of the area, but the man remained on the ground. "Stand up and look at me, I say." Her voice remained calm, but firm. The man looked up, his face was emaciated and his skin was pale. She reckoned whoever sent him didn't really care if he lived or died, since it was clear he hadn't been eating for a while.<p>

"Ah, the Protector. To think I would get two rulers visiting me just a few minutes apart, the gods must be smiling upon me."

Maleficent cocked an eyebrow. Aurora had already been there, at least that meant she wasn't back at the castle. For now at least.

"Tell me, human." She walked the uneven ground in the cave, touching the damp walls of solid stone. "How did you-,"

"Don't you want to know what I told her, your little pathetic excuse for a queen?" His voice made her stomach turn. There was indeed something wrong with this human.

"No, what I want to know is _how_ you got in." Maleficent did not want him to think he had the upper hand, because he didn't.

He gave her a toothy smile. "I was not that hard, to be honest." He looked at her, his eyes barely visible in the faint light. "Your guards simply does not do their job properly. Or maybe it's you who has lost your touch, Protector of the Moors."

He was gloating as if he had accomplished the impossible, and he was really starting to get on the faerie's nerves. She did try her best not to physically hurt him, because Aurora would not want that. Clenching her jaw and clearing her throat she was just about to say something when he stood up on unsteady legs.

"She is a pretty girl that one, she is" She already had a feeling she would not enjoy what he would say next. "You know what happens to pretty little girls in war, don't you?"

Maleficent's pulse quickened as her mind started to darken and her eyes fired up in a dangerous glow. The man better shut his mouth, for his own sake. He doubtlessly felt Maleficent's rage radiate from her body, and it seemed to make him more committed to infuriate her even more.

"They don't care that she is a queen, in fact, that makes them more determined to show their power. And you can bet it will end between her-," The man's words got caught in his throat when the faerie's hand seized all room for air to pass through. His feet was hanging a couple of inches above the ground, he struggled to get loose but it was useless. She felt his larynx and Adam's apple crack underneath her palm, but she did not let go. She only had one thing on her mind and that was to shut him up, for good. Her sharp thumbnail dug into his jugular and dark blood started to gush out of him. He begun to gurgle when blood filled his lungs and mouth. His face had started to twist into an inhuman grimace and his eyes looked as if they were on the edge of exploding. Maleficent breathed through gritted teeth, not stopping until his eyes would turn completely blank. And as they did she finally let go. His lifeless body collapsed, blood still pulsating out of his open wound. There was a little life left in him, but nothing left to grasp. The man was dead within thirty seconds and by the time his body had twitched one last time, Maleficent's eyes had gone back to normal. The ground was covered in human blood, as well as the walls and Maleficent herself. She could smell his vileness slowly fade away as his body went cold. As Maleficent went out of the cave she passed Balthazar, he bowed before the Protector. Balthazar knew better than to question any decision she made.

"Give him to the Moors." She said as she left the shell of a man in the hands of her loyal liege.

* * *

><p>After a few spells and an unnecessary, but very calming, swim in the lake Maleficent was clean. Magic did not leave any traces of what had been done, unless she wanted to. Her conscience, however, was stained. The faerie could tell right from wrong, and killing was rarely the best solution. But the man's words had made her lose all control over herself. And if she looked deep inside her own mind, Maleficent would find that she quite enjoyed crushing his throat into pieces. The feeling of her nail penetrating his skin as his warm blood cascaded out over his body until he was practically bathing in it, had made her feel good. That was the predatory side of her, the side that made her a villain. The side she never wanted Aurora to see. A single teardrop fell down her sharply sculptured face. She caught it in her hand and enclosed it, feeling how it hardened in her palm. Maleficent opened her hand and saw how it had turned into a necklace with a leather cord that ended in a small, glistening drop shaped gemstone. Her other hand brushed past it and released a stream of green smoke that the little stone absorbed until its core got an emerald tint. Maleficent smiled at her new creation. If she were to give it to Aurora, which she planned to do, she would be with the girl as long as she carried it. If Aurora got scared, or hurt she would feel it. She would be able to find her. As long as she had it on her they would be connected. And Maleficent would be able to protect <em>her<em> queen. She pressed the little gem to her lips and felt it pulsating against her lips, like a heartbeat. As long as the green mist in the centre of the stone continued to pulsate Aurora would know Maleficent was still breathing. There would be a battle between the human world and the Moorland. It was unavoidable and she had known for many years that the day would come when they would all have to fight till the last living creature. She knew better than to underestimate the humans, especially the ones that hungered for power. And to a human there was no greater glory than to conquer the Magical Empire. Pushing her thoughts aside, the faerie decided it was high time to go and find the girl. Then, she realised how they had left things earlier that day and felt more eager to get to her, to make it right. She would not tell Aurora about what she had done that night, she would be better off being ignorant to the fact that Maleficent was a killer; because she was. The spy had not been her first, and probably not her last.

Looking up to the sky she saw Diaval circle far above her. Once he'd spotted her, he dived down until he was mere inches from her head. Maleficent smiled as she locked eyes with the little creature.

"Take me to her."

* * *

><p>The second the raven had changed his direction and flown east, Maleficent knew where they were heading. She wandered through the forest, still following her feathered friend. Once she had crossed the little mound, like she had done so many times before, she could see the little chimney behind the thin wall of birches. In each window there were candles lit that told her there was someone inside. She hit her staff gently to the ground and it swiftly lit up in a green, eye catching glow. She got to the door and looked up to the sky one last time. Diaval had left without her even noticing. Maleficent then realised that the little gem she held in her hand had started to pulsate quite generously, along with her heart. She knocked lightly and waited for Aurora to answer. A few moments passed without any reaction from inside. She started to feel like something was wrong. Her hand closed around the doorknob and turned it slowly. It was just as quiet and gloomy inside as it had looked on the outside.<p>

"Aurora?" She called out carefully, but there was nothing but silence.

The downstairs was empty. Maleficent started to get anxious with every passing minute. She began to make her way up the stairs, the old wood complained tiredly under her feet. Once she made it to the top Maleficent let out a sigh of relief. In the dim light coming from her staff she could discern a figure laying on the bed. She smiled and walked closer. By the looks of it the girl had fallen asleep shortly after arriving to the little home; she was still wearing her travel robe. Maleficent bent down slightly and brushed strands of blonde hair away from Aurora's face and watched as her closed eyes twitched a little bit before opening. The girl looked a bit confused before realising where she were.

"Oh." She sat up heavily and gently rubbed her tired eyes. "Maleficent?"

The woman chuckled softly. "Yes, beastie. It's me." She reached out and helped Aurora to her feet. Her hand waved over a couple of candles standing on the bedside table. They lit up the room a bit more and Maleficent could put her staff to the side.

"How are you feeling?" Maleficent asked the dazed girl. "I hope you can for give me, Aurora, for earlier. I don't know why I snapped at you I must have-," she noticed marks on Aurora's neck and felt a jolt of fury rush through her. "Who did this to you?"

Aurora's eyes teared up and her lower lip started shaking slightly. "I-I went back." She was clearly fighting back the tears burning her eyes. Maleficent tried to calm herself in order to make Aurora feel safe about telling her what had happened. "And there was this man, Phillip's father King John. He rules over Ulfstead, our sister realm." The tears won and rolled down her cheeks, she instantly wiped them off. Aurora let go of Maleficent's hand and walked over to the window, the moonlight made her hair shine with a silvery glow. "Now he's here. And that man you found in the Moors, Oscar, he is with him. He is a spy, and there is probably many more."

Maleficent thought of the man, Oscar, she wanted to be honest with Aurora. But she couldn't tell her what she had done, perhaps not ever. She walked over to the girl and stood close. Maleficent took the small gem hanging from its leather cord and put it around Aurora's neck.

"Bad things will take place, Aurora. We will have to fight. And I am on your side, always." Aurora turned to face the faerie, her hand touching the pulsating gem. "You have to find your way, I cannot help you with that. But I am here, all through to the end and the into the new beginning." Maleficent closed her hand around Aurora's together with the little gemstone. "With this necklace I will be able to feel your every emotion. If you want me to find you, I will. This is your link to me, and mine to you." She raised the stone between them and saw the green light reflect in Aurora's eyes. "As long as this light is still shining, you will know that I am alive."

Maleficent felt Aurora's hand wander her palm and led it to her own chest. Under the thin, emerald fabric she felt Aurora's heart beating firmly against her hand.

"And what do you feel now, Maleficent?"

Aurora's human eyes were glowing in the faint light from the candles. Maleficent saw how the green necklace flared up as her heart began to beat harder against her chest. Aurora pressed herself closer to the older woman. Maleficent stroked blonde hair and was captured by the beauty of Aurora closing her eyes and leaning into her touch.

"You, Aurora."


End file.
